Art of making shoes



Patented @et l5, 1923. l

.nutren stares Parana" ferries.

'WILLIAM C. STEWART, OF SWAMSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 'UNITED SHUE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORTIN GF NEW JERSEY.

.ABT OF MAKING- SHOES.

Application filed ApriI 25, 1918.

To al? whom. t may concern Be it known that l, WILLIAM C. STEWART, a subject of the King of England, residing at Svvampscott, in the count-y of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in the Art of Making Shoes, of which the following description, in connection With the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to improvementsfin the a'rt of making shoes and more particularly to a method of and means for accurately positioning the insole of a Welt shoe or the sole of a turn shoe upon a last andY then maintaining it in such position during the assembling and the subsequent operations 1n the manufacture of the shoe.'

In making such a shoe it is important to position the sole accurately on the face or bottom of the last in a predetermined re.- `lation to the contour of the last both longitudinally and transversely and then to secure it firmly in such position in order that the inseam shall be located symmetrically with relation to the last and in order thereby to obtain ultimately a shoe having the desired shape and appearance.

To this end, one important feature of this invention, broadly stated, is an improved method of making shoes which comprises providing a sole and a-v last, one having an inclined recess and the other a projection to co-operate with the recess and also one .having a second projection and the other a surface to co-operate therewith, and then applying the sole to the bottom of the last and locating the sole in a predetermined relation to the contour of the last by engaging the said projections respectively with the said recess and the said surface. Thus the sole is positioned exactly andcorrectly upon the last and such positioning is not left, as at present, to the skill and carefulness of the individual Workman.

Viewed in another aspect, the invention comprises providing the heel and toe portions of a last with positioning surfaces, one of said surfaces extending at an angle to the general plane of the last bottom, and

Serial No. 230,715.

insole thereon in relation 'to the contour of the last by engaging the respective complemental surfaces With each other.

A further feature of the invention comprises a novel method and means for securing a vsole to a last after it has been thus located thereon and also a novel last provided with one or more projections for the purposes described. The heel part of the last may be removable while the forepart remains in the shoe as will be further explained.

In the operations of lasting and inseaming a Welt or turn shoe the edge or feather of the sole is likely to be displaced and particularly to be lifted and-folded or pushed inwardly away from the edge ofthe last' with the result that-the succeeding operations cannot be performed satisfactorily and also the appearance, and sometimes the comfort, of the shoe is impaired. These conditions have made it necessary to use more eX- pensive sole stockthan would otherwise be required or have led to the artificial stidening of the feather of the sole.

Accordingly, a further vfeature of the invention comprises the provision of means upon the last for Aholding the feather of i lipped sole down upon the bottom of the ast. tions utilized for locating' the sole upon the last are also constructed to secure it in place thereon and to hold the feather down. In the specific constructions shown the last is provided With four such projections Ifor locating and positioning the sole thereon,

each being constructed and arran ed to engage a corresponding recess or sur ace which has been preliminarily provided in the sole during its manufacture. While obviously two of such projections would be sufficient to determine positively the correct positioning of the sole were it not for the somewhat yielding character which the material of the sole may have yet the other pr 'l tions may be used to advantage, especiallf'for holding the feather down upon the last.

It is believed to be desirable under all As illustrated, certain of the projectis I"the bottom of the last near the ball line where the curvature of the last is most yabrupt and each will engage the edge of the feather of the sole and preferably'also the face of the feather not only to position it but also tohold it down upon the last.

Under some conditions or for cert-ain styles of shoe, the last may be providednear its toe end with a projection 1n addition to or in place of those near the ball line for positioning and securing the sole relatively to the last. This projection also is preferably constructed and arranged to engagea preformed recess .in the sole, which recess in thecase of a lipped sole will j'ireferably be located adjacent to and usually outwardly beyond the vlip orrib.

A further feature of the invention is that the several projections upon the last are so constructed and arranged that they will automatically release the sole when the last is Withdrawn from the shoe.

These and other features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof and will then be particularly pointed out in the claims.

'In the drawings:

. Fig.' l is a perspective view of a manufacturing last and of a welt insole secured in predetermined relation thereon in accord` ance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the toe portion of the last and of the insolev before they are assembled;

3 isy a. similar view of the heel portion;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the shank portion of the last, showA ing by dotted lines an insole confined in place by the feather engaging members; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of these menibers.

According to the preferred mode of pracA tising the method of the present invention, an insole, or in the case of a turn shoe a sole. is provided before it is assembled upon the last, but when or after its forepart, at least, is given substantially its final contour, with one or more recesses to aid in locating the sole upon the last as already outlined. It is a characteristic feature of the invention that such recesses shall he located in predetermined relation to said contour or a part thereof and, if the sole is given its final shape by molding,'the recesses may be con` veniently formed, or theirlocations marked, as a part of the molding operation.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the insole 2 comprises a body having a, feather 4 and a lip or rib 6. It may be made up of two or more layers and, as shown in Fig. 2, includes an outer layer or reinforcing cover of canvas 8. The insole may be provided, as already described, with a recess l() near its toe end and a recess 12 near its heel end. AS shown in Fig. 2, the recess 10 is inclined backwardly and downwardly from the lipped face of the insole. This recess is located in the feather 4, or it may be under the lip 6, but it islocated as closely as practicable to the end of the insole and, preferably, extends entirely through the feather though. it may be, not into the reinforcing cover;

The novel last 14 which is intended to be used in practising the method comprises a forepart 1G and a heel part 18. Any known or suitable connecting device 20 is provided which will permit. the heel part to be removed readilv from the lasted shoe 'while the .forcpart remains in undisturbed relation thereto.

The means illustrated for positioning and holding the insole at its toe end comprises a forwardly directed prong 22, pivoted at 2l to abase 26 whichmay conveniently be a metal blocklof generally cylindrical shape having a recess 28 at its front side to'receive and protect the prong 22, before the block is: insertedin the last, and also recessed at its rear vside to receive a Wood screw' 3() which .secures the block both to the last and against angular displacement therein'. The wood of the last is cut away a trifle at 32 in front of the prong 22 so that the latter may turn to project only slightly above the plane of the last bottom so that there Vwill be little danger of breakage ,during the handling of the last. The pron; r has a shoulder 34 arranged to abut against. the rear wall of the recess 28, thus determining the extreme backward position of the prong which, therefore, Occupirs a definitil working position both longitudinally and transversely of the last When engaged with the insole. As shown, the prong 22 is pointed and, for some uses to which the last may be put, the prong may make for itself a recess in the'insole, but a feature of the present invention, as already stated. is that a recess l0 is preliminarily formed in the insole to engage the prong which thus positions and secures the insole to the last. Accordingly, in the assembling of such an insole upon the last, this recess is engaged with the prong and as the insole is drawn backwardly, the prong moves from the position shown in Fig. 2 until the shoulder 8l abuts against the wall of recess 2S whereupon the inclined lower face of the prong draws the feather 4 of the insole down rmly upon the last at the toe and holds it against any tendency to upward displacement which might be caused, during the subsequent fitting and shaping of the shoe upper over the last, by the upward straining of the upper over the edge of the insole. The

, prong 22 thus constitutes a fixed gage in the tom of the recess and a shoulder 42 on the the last in that region.

pin. The outward movement lof the pin is limited by a plate 44 secured to the last fiush with its bottom. If desired, the prong 22 may be yieldingly mounted in a somewhat similar manner so that it, like the pin 36, may be pressed down flush with the last, as for example when the last is thrown upon a bench.

In view of the fact that the curvature 'of the last bottom is most abrupt immediately in the rear of the ball line, it is desirable to provide means for holding the insole to As shown, a pair of sole edge engaging and retaining members 50 are provided 1n the last at opposite sides of the shank. Preferably, they are in the form of feather hooks, each formed with a thin neck 52 to extend upwardly from the last across the edge of the feather and serve as a gage in positioning the insole and with a thin gill 54 to lie over upon the feather and hold the insole down upon the last. These feather hooks may be formed, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, upon a cylindrical body 56, and may be recessed at 58 to receive a part of the shank of a wood screw 60, constituting a mounting similar to thatprovided for the toe prong 22. Alternatively the feather hooks may have a thin metal attaching portion 62 let into the face of the last as shown in Fig. 1. ln either case the attac-hing portion and its fastening screw are preferably inserted flush with the surface 'of the last so as not tointerfere with the placing and fitting of the upper. The neck and bill of the hook present a minimum of such interference when the shoe is lasted and wlted. The hooks are arranged' sub Stantially opposite to each other and each serves to retain the insole in holding engagement with the other hook. They are preferably located to engage the tapering portion'of the insole in the rear of its widest part; viz: the ball line. This allows the narrow part of the shank of the insole to be pressed down between the bills of the hooks as it is being placed on`the last and then, as thev insole is drawn backwardly to position it and to secure it in place, Vthe wider part of the shank is drawn under and held by the bills of the hooks.

While if the insole is made of an unyielding material one or two of the insole locating and holding projections on the last above described may be dispensed with', yet in other cases it is contemplated that all four of them will be used. Indeed, under some conditions it may be advisable to secure the insole at still other points as, for example, at about the location of the tip seam of the shoe upper and for this particular purpose there may be provided, as shown, binders 64 of frangible material such' as a suitable quality of paper coated with adhesive and applied to the side of the last and to the lipped face of the insole in position to bind the insole, including t-he feather, closely down upon the last bottom. Such a binder will be weakened or broken during the lasting and welting operations so as to destroy ,its holding ower and, therefore, will offer no serious o stacle tothe withdrawl of the forepart of the last, as fully set forth in my c0wpcnding application now Patent No. 1,342,- 469. granted June 8, 1920.

The preferred mode of practising the method of the present invention when all the holding and retaining devices-are used has already been generally indicated but will now be described briefly. The insole 2 is applied to the last with its toe end projecting beyond the end of the last and is then drawn backwardly so that the prong 22 will enter the recess 10, the shoulder 34 determining the final operative position of the prong. As the insole is drawn backwarly the feather is slid beneath the bills 54 of the hooks 50. The heel end of the insole is pressed down to cause the pin 36 to snap into the hole 12 whereupon the insole is positioned accurately and held firmly in the correct predetermined relation upon the bottom of the last. The inclined prong 22 and the feather hooks 50 also hold the feather of the insole down firmly upon the forepart of the last. The binders 64 may then be ap lied, if desired, and the processes of assembling, lasting and other usual steps in the manufacture of a shoe completed.

In using the last 14, it may be preferred to remove the heel part 18. before the heel attaching operation, in which case the pin 36 will readily slip out of hole 12 but the forepart will be retained in the upper bythe holding means described.

Subsequently the forepart may be removed without diiiiculty. The weakened binders 64 will be completely broken, the prong 22 Without departin will be Withdrawn from the recess 10, and the hooks 50 will slide along to the narrowest partl of the shank when the bills' 54 will be free from the feather 4.

Having thus explained the nature of thc present invention and described the best embodiment of it and the best mode of practising it now known to me, but without attempting to indicate all the various modifications in detail which may be made from the essence of the invention. l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States: j

l. That improvement in the art of making shoes which comprises first providing a sole and a last, one having an inclined re tess and the other a projection to co-operate with the recess and also one having a second projection and the other a; surface to co-operate therewith, and vthen ap lying the sole to the bottom of the last an locating the sole in a predetermined relation to the contour of the last by engaging the said projections respectively with the said recess -and thesaid surface.

2.'That improvement in the art of making shoesfwhich comprises providing a sole having a recess in predetermined lrelation to the contour of the sole and also providing a last having as a permanent part thereof, a projection constructed and arranged to lit saidv recess and having also a sole edge engaging member at a substantiale distance from said projection and then locating the sole in a predetermined relation to the contour of the last while applying it to the bottom of the last by engaging the projection with the recess and the sole edge with said member. l

3. That improvement in the art of making i shoesl which comprises providing a finished lipped welt insole with a hole near one end and also providing a last with a co-operating projection to lit said hole and with a pair of sole edge engaging members on opposite sides of and adjacent to the ball line of the last and then locating vthe sole in a predetermined relation to thel contour of the last by bringing the edge of the sole into engagement with said members and inserting said projection into said hole.

4. That improvement in the art of making welt shoes which comprises providing an insole the forepart of which has substan- -tially its final contour and providing a last which comprises a forepart and a heel part removable while the forepart remains vin the shoe and which hasa pair of sole engaging and retaining members at opposite sides of the forepart and adjacent to the ball line of the last, then locating the sole in a predetermined relation to the contour of the last while applying it to the bottom of the last by engaging the finished edge of 5. That improvement in the art of making welt shoes which comprises providing an insole having a recess in predetermined relation to the contour of the sole and also providing a last which comprises a forepart and a-heel part removable while the forepart remains in the shoeand which has as a permanent part thereof a projection constructed and arranged to lit said recess and which has also'a pair of sole engagin" and retaining members at opposite sides of the forepart and adjacent to the ball line of the last, then locating the sole in a predetermined relation to the contour of the last while applying it tothe bottom of the last by engaging` the projection with the recess and the sole edge withsaid members, and then rof ceeding with the manufacture of the s oe,

removing the heel part but not the forepart of the last during the heel attaching operation.

6. That improvement in the art of making shoes which comprises providing the feather of a lipped sole With a recess extending to its unlipped face and also providing a last with a projection constructed and arranged vto enter said recess and then engaging the projection with the recess to aid in locating the sole in a predetermined relation to the contour of the last.

7. That improvement in the art-of' making shoes which comprises providing awe'lt insole having a lip and a feather with an inclined recess in the feather adjacent to the toe end of the sole and with a perpendicular recess adjacent to its heel end-and also providing a last with projections constructed and arranged to enter said recesses,

said last having also undercut sole engag? having a plurality of recesses formed there-l in in predetermined Vrelation to the contour of the sole and'also providin a last having as a permanent part thereo a forwardly inclined pron projecting normally beyond the bottom o the last adjacent to itsy toe endand a vertically movable project-ion in the heel part of the last, and then ocating the sole 1n a predetermined relav relative to said bottomand constructed and tion to the contour of the last by engaging said prong with one recess in the sole, drawing the sole backward and engaging said projection with another recess 1n the sole.

9; A last comprising a forepart and a heel part removable While the forepart remains in a shoe and means forming a permanent part ofthe last for locating a sole upon the last and securing it thereto comprising a spring-pressed pin in the bottom of the heel part slidable perpendiculwy arranged to enter a recess already formed in the sole in combination With a pair of undercut retainers constructed and airanged to engage the edge of the sole.

10. A last comprising means forming a permanent part of the last for locating a sole upon the last Kand securing it thereto comprising a forwardly inclined, pivoted prong projecting normally beyond the bottom of the last closely adjacent to its toe end and constructed and arranged to enter a co-operating recess in the sole in combination with a vertically movable projection in the heel part of the last constructed and arranged to enter a corresponding recess bers projecting normally at different angles beyond the bottom of the last, being independently movable relatively to said bottom and being constructed and arranged to enter co-operating recesses previously formed in the shoe bottom part.

12. That improvement in the art of mak.

ing shoes which comprises providing the heel' and toe portions of a last with positionmg surfaces, one of sald surfaces extending'at an angle to the general plane of the last bottom, and providing complemental positioning surfaces in the heel `portion and in the feather of an insole, and applying the insole to the bottom face of the last and locating the insole thereon in predetermined relation to the contour of the last by engaging the respective complemental surfaces with each other.

13. That improvement in the art of making shoes Which comprises providing lateral positioning surfaces adjacent to the heel and the toe ends of a lipped insole, such surface at the toe end being formed in the feather of the insole, providing a last with complemental positioning surfaces, and then applying 'the insole to the bottom face of the last and locating the insole thereon in predetermined relation to the contour of the last by engaging respective complemental surfaces with each other.

14. In a last, a sole retaining prong (22) pivoted within the bottom of the last in combination with means to limit the movement of the prong about its pivot in both directions so constructed that in each extreme position the prong shall project beyond the bottom of the last and act to engage or hold a sole applied thereto.

15. A last comprising a forepart and a separable heel part and means rfor locatinga sole having a recess upon the last. comprising a plate Hush with the bottom of the heel part,` a shouldered pin fitted to slide through an'opening in the plate, and a spring acting normally to project the pin and maintain its shoulder against the plate whereby the pin may enter the recess in the sole.

name to this specification. v

WILLIAM C. STEWART.

In testimonyvvhereof-I have signed my I 

